Pyloric Therapies for Gastroparesis.

Gastroparesis is a syndrome that can be difficult to treat effectively and likely represents the common clinical presentation of multiple underlying mechanisms. One of these presumed mechanisms involves pyloric dysfunction, tied perhaps to spasm or fibrosis, manifesting as functional gastric outlet obstruction. Various diagnostic modalities have been used to better characterize this hypothesized abnormality, including most recently antroduodenal manometry and impedance planimetry. A variety of therapeutic interventions specific to the pylorus have also been proposed in the last several years, including intrapyloric injections of botulinum toxin, transpyloric stenting, surgical pyloroplasty, and endoscopic pyloromyotomy. The clinical application of these maneuvers has been mostly empiric thus far, but efforts are ongoing to identify the subset of patients whose physiology best positions them to benefit from such therapy. Early results for many of these interventions have been promising and will serve as the basis for larger and more systematic research frameworks moving forward.